Derived forms

Word origin of 'happy'

C14: see hap1, -y1

happy for learners of EnglishPowered by COBUILD (hæpi)

Word forms: happier, happiest

Definitions

1. graded adjective & adjective

Someone who is happy has feelings of pleasure, usually because something nice has happened or because they feelsatisfied with their life. ⇒ Marina was a confident, happy child. ⇒ I'm just happy to be back running. ⇒ Her face relaxed into a happy smile.

happinessuncountable noun ⇒ I think mostly she was looking for happiness.

2. graded adjective & adjective [usu ADJ n]

A happy time, place, or relationship is full of happy feelings and pleasant experiences, or has an atmosphere in which people feel happy. ⇒ Except for her illnesses, she had had a particularly happy childhood. ⇒ It had always been a happy place. ⇒ We have a very happy marriage.

3. graded adjective & adjective [v-link ADJ, ADJ that, ADJ to-inf]

If you are happyabout a situation or arrangement, you are satisfied with it, for example because you think that something is being done in the right way. [+ about/with] ⇒ If you are not happy about a repair, go back and complain. ⇒ He's happy that I deal with it myself. ⇒ When he got old he was really quite happy to let the department run itself.

4. graded adjective & adjective [v-link ADJ, usu ADJ to-inf]

If you say you are happyto do something, you mean that you are very willing to do it. ⇒ I'll be happy to answer any questions if there are any. ⇒ That's a risk I'm happy to take.

happilygraded adverb & adverb [ADV with v] ⇒ If I've caused any offence over something I have written, I will happily apologise.